The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-05-27


90 upon the hill behind the cemetery,
but his mother held him back. So he
climbed the high pine in the garden
and looked over to the forest. But
he could see nothing but smoke and
hear nothing but the report OF the
firing which lasted till the evening.
When the sun went down the shooting
was not so near, and the noise
! gradually subsidized and when thu
moon rose all had become quiet and
only the wind rustled in the old nut
trees.
Max's mother brought a cup ofmilk
: and piece O! black bread. Eat that
Max, else you will get sick, she said,
and with her hand gently stroked the
boys dark hair.
"Do you expect father back today"
asked Max, without looking at his
supper.
His mother shrugged her shoulders
and cried.
where is he2" asked Max.
"How can you ask me thus," she
said softly.
1t grew later and later and later,
and the father did not come home,
The mother went about the house and
locked the doors and shut the win.
dows, and put out the fire in the kltch-
EN- where she had prepared Annals
soup.
ut is time to 60 30 bed" she said.
ado yop not hear anythihg2" asked
Max.
His mother opened the window am
listened. But everything was quiet
The lonely, quiet night was over the
valley, and the air came cool into the
room.
600 to bed, Max, and pray" said
his mother, after having listened a
while.
"If only knew where father is,
said Max, "if could only see him for
a moment, if only knew that shall
ever see him again"
"Pray, my child, pray!" said his
mother, and hid her lace in her hands.
After Max had gone into his cham.
Der, and nothing moved any longer,
his mother extinguished the light, for
she thought it might bring danger il
troops should pass the village in the
night and see the illuminated window.
The poor woman was now quite alone
in the chamber the children slept.
The moon shone into the room and
lighted up the walls and the place where
the father used to sit at this time oil
night and where he talked with the
wife about the Joys and cares OF the
passed and the coming day. Whether
he will ever sit there againY the good
dear fatherl The woman sat with
bent head the moon shone upon her
pale, careworn face.
Suddenly she looked up. What was
it? A noise in the street-a gentle,
light STEP for one second she could
hear it, and then all was quiet again.
Was somebody stealing around the
house? Was an enemy near? The
woman jumped up and listened; acold
draught passed over her; it came from
the chamber. Was the window open
there?-she had cl osed it herself--she
knew that for certain. Had some
body opened or forced it inland
whoY-
With loudly beating heart she went
into the chamber. Yes, the window
was wide open and the cool night air
streamed in. Nobody had come into
the room, she saw that in the clear
moonshine;-bu outsider She listen
ed far out into the street. But every
thing was silentas the grave and moth
ing was to be seen but the black shad'
ows of the trees and houses.
One moment she stood motionless,
then an anxious thought came into
her mind; she turned and looked back
into the chamber. "MaxW she called,
and bent over his bed wringing her
hands, for the bed was empty.
Meanwhile Max ran past the last
houses OF the village, and his shadow
ran beside him. Max had no hat on
his head, no shoes on his feet. In his
left hand he held his fathers canteer
and the piece OF black bread his moth.
err had given him in the evening. and
in bis right hand he held y large knife
The trees and bushes whispered gently
as he passed, the crosses and monu
ments over in the cemetery shont
ghostly in the moonlight, and dark
shadows looked forth behind every
stone and fence post. Max did not
look to the right nor left, but strobe
straight on. What should he be afraid
off The stones and fence posts he
knew we'll enough, he had seen them
many times day,-and the crosses
over there too. And that they threw
now such mysterious shadows-this
was caused by the moon-and hekneN
the moon, tool
But farther on, over the next hill
near the edge OF the forest-the boys
heart trembled, his fist grasped tn,
knife more firmly, he FASTENED his
steps, his cheeks and eyes glowed, his
hair flew in the night wind.